First published in 1981, this is an early exploration of the idea that was to become the author's "Discworld" series. The Company builds planets. A high-ranking official, Kin Arad, discovers that two of her employees have placed a fossilized plesiosaur in the wrong stratum.

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About the Author

TERRY PRATCHETT is the acclaimed creator of the global bestselling Discworld series, the first of which, The Colour of Magic, was published in 1983. Raising Steam is his fortieth Discworld novel. His books have been widely adapted for stage and screen, and he is the winner of multiple prizes, including the Carnegie Medal, as well as being awarded a knighthood for services to literature. After falling out with his keyboard he now talks to his computer. Occasionally, these days, it answers back.
--This text refers to the
Mass Market Paperback
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Kin Arad was a shaper of worlds. A terraformer. Also immortal, for as long as she could keep up an interest in life. So when an invisible man entices her with a flat world, she joins an alien crew and takes off for the (sci-fi) Discworld, where technology is so advanced it is taken for magic. A wonderful twist on the fantasy series, and certainly a strong influence for the series as well. Also, check out The Colour of Magic, the first Discworld book

This is a much overlooked book (as people tend to concentrate on Pratchets Discworld novels) that gently pokes fun at the Hard SF genre. The story centers around four explorers on an unknown artifact at the edge of human space. Nivens Ringworld was obviously a big influence for this story. If you like your SF definatly tongue-in-cheek then I recommend this book

A scifi/fantasy blend about a jaded planetary designer who gets embroiled in a mission with two very alien aliens to a disc shaped world where magic appears to work, this early work by Terry Pratchett also deftly parodies Larry Niven's Ringworld as well as several fantasy tropes.

This is the first book outside of the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett that I have read and it will not be the last. The humor here is more subdued than with the Discworld books but it still is present more or less throughout the story. There is a sense in reading that Pratchett is finding his wings as the book progresses. The begining is a bit rigid, however by the end the author relaxes and the style becomes more playful. It was a pleasure reading this book and I strongly recommend anyone who likes Pratchett's work to give it a try.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful

One Good Read...Dec 1 2000

By
Bevan R
- Published on Amazon.com

Format: Mass Market Paperback

This book was one of the first few T.Prattchet books that I read and is probably my favourite. It is more science-fiction than fantasy, looking at a fantasy world with scientific tools. This is not only a good solid read. It parodys Larry Niven's Ringworld, it introduces new and origional ideas, and has a delightful twist (I read that bit twice before I understood it). You read it again and again and see more each time.

31 of 36 people found the following review helpful

Not Discworld seriesApril 1 2001

By
guy richardson
- Published on Amazon.com

Format: Mass Market Paperback

Those of you who are familiar with Pratchett from his Discworld series will be puzzled by this book -- it seems to be about Discworld but it has none of the magic or wild humor of that series. It was written before Pratchett created the "real" Discworld with its Unseen University, wizards and wild parodies of our world. That said, those of you who are Discworld fanatics might find this interesting as it's a hard-science (sort of) explanation of the flat Discworld planet. It's not a bad story -- just don't expect the usual Pratchett funny fireworks.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

Pre-discworld, but Pratchett at his best!June 11 2005

By
C. St Denis
- Published on Amazon.com

Format: Mass Market Paperback

This is the first Terry Pratchett book I ever read, and it led me to keep reading him. This is not a Discworld novel, but equally as inventive. It may not be as funny as the other novels, but it has its own sense of humor and surprises. I highly recommend this if you are already a fan, and I doubly recommend it if you haven't ready any Pratchett yet. This one will get you hooked!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

How It All Started...Feb. 6 2007

By
Harvey S. Trop
- Published on Amazon.com

Format: Mass Market Paperback
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Terry Pratchett's Strata, is an early work, that stands on its own as a nice piece of science fiction. The characters are interesting and the plot line is clever. For me, the ending wasn't as crisp as you'd find in his more recent works, but the journey is worth the effort. For those who've read Pratchett's Discworld novels, the novel gives one an early peak at what will become the author's best known works. The disc world here is not the same Discworld of the subsequent novels, but some of the lunacy and wonder of that universe are first glimpsed in Strata. It is a fascinating look at the conception of what will become a place where magic comes alive.